I don't see anything on the agenda that suggests those folks. Do we have >> We'll just I We can add them. I would hope maybe under >> Do we know who they are? >> Sure. >> Well, I know it's Cory Ryden. >> I tried to find an agenda online. I don't know if it's not posted, but I did look for one.
>> Yeah. >> Do you I didn't see one online anywhere. >> I don't think it's posted on the city website. >> Okay. I looked everywhere, but I didn't see it. >> But this uh What do you think, Steve? Well, call the meeting to order. can add to the agenda.
>> New business. [cough and clears throat] >> Okay. And what's what's the subject of your new business? >> Well, I'm just I'm concerned about my billing at the rec park. >> Okay.
Uh new business. Uh [snorts] >> pardon. >> All right. Um the waiting hour the witching hour has arrived. >> Did you want to see this?
>> Yeah. Thank you. >> Y I was trying to >> You have an extra agenda there for >> sure. >> Or do we need to just get in it for the next meeting for for the next week or >> She just gave herself. >> That's okay. >> It's a month away.
>> Yeah, it's every it's first Tuesday of every month. We don't mind dropping in under business. Okay. Call the meeting to order. Uh we have president just a quorum one member having left town and the other not here
today. Um, first is the agenda. Uh, with the addition of of a wreck park bill discussion, uh, does anybody have any other additions or corrections to the agenda? Hearing none, the agenda is approved
unanimously. Same question of the minutes. Have you had sufficient time read them? And if so, do you have any requests for changes or additions? >> I do. I do not. >> I do not. >> Okay. Then there being no objections and
I have none, uh the agend the minutes are approved as distributed. That brings us to the golf report. Paul, please take the hot seat. Okay. Well, yeah. So, we're just through the fisherman's picnic. That's kind of the
I don't know. That's kind of like the last big buzzy thing we have going on. They had um looking at our our business has been good. The only really bump we've had was uh was it three weeks ago now
where we had the smoke out uh the heat, the extreme heat and the smoke. And so really that's been the heat and the drought. That's been our challenge this year. Just trying to keep the conditions good. But everybody's [cough] everybody's been uh been happy very
happy with the conditions. So things are going well that way where you know the irrigation system's been on this whole year. I I was thinking about that last year. I don't know that we used it much. It was kind of so it's interesting. [snorts] And so that gives us uh you know things
we're looking at. Um things we'll we'll have to be spending a little extra attention to as the we continue on with the season. you know, areas that are dry enough that we will have to give a little extra arification, fertilizer,
that sort of thing. But, um, yeah, as far as the fairways, greens, uh, probably the TE's are in the toughest shape, but the greens are are really good. The fairways are good. So, um, yeah, things are are going well. Our equipment's doing okay, except our our
rough mower is uh it's kind of funny cuz, you know, we always say, man, we got to think about getting some new equipment, but uh you know, I think the things keep running along and they're big equipment, big strong equipment, but we had a uh we're getting a leaks
getting a leak on our big fairway mo on our big um rough mower. And so we uh Twinkie was tearing that thing apart and it's a it's a big job tearing into the the big hub of the wheel and the trans transaxle and all that and so there's
there's some seals that were out and so we've got parts coming on that. So we'll be able to fix that in house and everything which is great. Um other than that everything seems to be holding together that I can think of. We got one of the golf carts, one of the
old golf carts that was parked and we had some parts and got that going. So, we I don't know, we've got we've got like 22 carts. Five of them are, you know, the older carts. [snorts] But yeah, I mean, we aren't we aren't
experiencing any of the the cart problems we used to have when on our peak days when things were extremely busy. we uh you know, we've run down to where we're [snorts] you know, getting out of carts just as more coming back in. So, everything's been working out
good. So, we're just uh I'm thankful that we've got these new carts so we don't have to worry so much about all the other ones are aging and and that sort of thing. So, we'll continue to keep uh trying to renew that fleet. And basically that's what we're selling up
there is golf and carts for for rent or whatever. Uh oh. And then uh we I had a meeting with Maddie and we're talking about doing some stuff for marketing and just uh basically the just to try to get
on the u the uh you know like Facebook got uh Instagram that sort of thing and and have that kind of exposure and just kind of start putting stuff out. So, what we had talked about doing there is we've got I've got different people
working in the clubhouse now, which has been helpful. And we're trying to get everybody to take some pictures and see if we can come up with some sort of theme that's interesting or whatever. And then uh just put it out there and see what we get with uh with that.
There's also some other things you can explore on on those media uh deals where you can get some advertising or some sort of more concentrated output from Google or whatever it is. But but that's kind of what we're looking at to to
answer our marketing. We haven't really I mean we've done some things in the the periodicals or the the magazines that go out, but that you know we're kind of lost in all those. Um, so we're thinking that we can try this and see what we get
out of it. Um, yeah, other than that, our, like I said, our revenues are good. I've been looking, I kind of looked through the history of it and, uh, last year was a really was a good year and we're, right now we're just a
little bit we're a little bit below that, but we're we're above all the other previous years to date. So, so I think we're, you know, the trend is continuing to be good and we're getting good activity up there and, you know,
positive comments and all that stuff. So, um, yeah, I think things are going all right. Paul, tonight we're actually reviewing the 27 draft budget soon. And if you have any I'll put together the golf
component of the budget on the revenue and expense side [snorts] and you know basically use the same kind of proven methods we always use which is I think conservative revenue predicting and realistic expense. And so you can you
can track those numbers pretty easily where and you know see the big performance in revenue last year at 192 That was that was nice to see. You know, this year we projected to make 1699,
call it 170. So, it's good news that we're close to last year's trend line. We'll probably finish strong bar any natural disasters. But next, you know, next season's 1772 is just kind of a modest 4% hike from
the 1699. Yeah, I think we're kind of I think we're kind of catching our stride here. Kind of settling into where it is. And then just from there trying to uh to find different ways to make income. I
was talking with a different uh club uh president and they they run a few events there and I'm kind of trying to pick his brain on how they're running those because they're they're earning a little revenue from that. So, I'm checking into
to that to see how feasible it is if um and usually it's not too bad, but it'd be nice to uh host a couple events. Right now, we do the we do one event like that for the uh um
the the bank, the credit union and the the hunger heroes. Um so, that's good. And but you know, I think we could do some some things, fundraising things for the club itself and and that would probably be a good idea. Um I don't know, we could
talk about trying to cram something into September, maybe. I don't know, some sort of a baseball event. But uh yeah, those would be good good things to have. I think we we would be able to do them if we could do them on an off day and not the weekends >> uh because we're need to be available
for public play. So >> yeah, and I think the only thing notable on the expense side of the golf budget is our increase in the capital equipment line is pretty significant where we had been, you know, listing a $15,000 amount.
And now we've bumped that up to 19 just to be more realistic with some of these larger purchases we've been making. And you can see this here in particular was a hit due to the grinders trailer setup and three new golf carts. But again,
this was kind of a a oneoff year. The 15 is a placeholder for a 20-year capital improvement plan is kind of the backstory on how our capital outlay budget items work. It doesn't mean every year we spend 15 or we only
have 15 to spend. It means over a 20 year life cycle, we've average this $15,000 amount, but that that amount needs to gain with inflation and rise in cost of equipment and
>> Yeah. I mean, since you've had that number out, cost of equipment is pretty pretty much doubled. >> I mean, I looked at some um >> some low used stuff on there like fairway mowers. 92,000 bucks.
>> Yeah. So this you know even 19 is a not enough in the realistic game of golf public golf courses very capital intensive. This is mostly equipment based. When you look at other you know line items for clubhouse and
construction those are intended to cover you know long-term operating costs or capital costs for the clubhouse. roof for example septic construction is mostly irrigation system here Mark
>> but you know if you needed to renovate grains or >> do some work >> it'd be nice to we're probably going to want to be painting the clubhouse pretty soon >> and again those numbers are more placeholder sort of average spending over 20 years that certain years we're
going to spend [sighs] you know >> $10,000 certain years we're not going to spend at But but I think it's pretty compact budget for golf. You get a feeling of the projected loss, right? If you bounce sort of the
175 or sorry 177 against 275, we're projecting close to $100,000 loss. So you can look back at past performances of 24 and 25 and see that that's never the the actual losses.
There's, you know, >> Well, yeah. I've always thought I've always thought it was strange when you you got some investments there, like long-term investments on equipment, and that goes into your annual deficit. >> Mhm. >> Which I guess it is. It is a deficit,
but like it's over such a long term. I think like those grinders where you have to pay to get things ground every year anyways and >> and it it helps us avoid having to buy these expensive new mowers cuz we can keep things >> definely the capital lines skew these
but you can get a sense for where we're, you know, for example last year we only lost about $30,000 or less than $30,000. which is a wonderful feeling for all of us. >> Mhm. We do the best we can.
>> Is there more you want to say, Paul, or shall we open to board questions? >> Good. >> Do either of you have comment or questions? >> No, I don't. I have one comment and that is there are a couple of Facebook pages
that are local to Cook County or Grand Marray. There's a sell and swap and there's a community page where I think we could do some advertising and in fact I plan to just put something on the community page about the 15%
bargain that city residents get because the wreck park and the tax is subsidized of course. Uh, but that might be a place for more longer term thinking. >> Yeah. Anything else?
>> So, just to just to wrap that up, Steve, I know Paul's work with Maddie on ads like meta ads where you buy ads through Meta to target golfers, to target people in the region. >> That's definitely going to be a >> I heard something about that in this presentation.
>> Or was it you? >> No, Paul's. Yeah. >> Yeah. We're excited for this because we've been talking about it for a couple years now. Social media, >> am I correct that we projected in budget losses similar to this year in prior
years and and then we ended up with more play and therefore had less loss or less expense in some way? >> Correct. Yeah. >> Okay. Well, is there anything you want to add before you retire to your other work? >> Thanks, Paul. Keep up the good work.
>> Thank you. Thank you. >> Okay, the next item is the city council report and we don't have here anything. >> I do not have anything that happened at the council that might affect us. >> I have not heard any news that would
affect us. >> Okay, then let's turn to the parks report for which there's a twothirds page written which you can summarize if you will. >> Yeah, thanks Steve. So, I thought I'd give you the recap on the picnic. It was a success. We were really busy. It's
probably one of the busiest picnics in recent memory in that the harbor was particularly full of boats. The wall was full of boats. The moorings were full of boats. The docks were full of boats. You know, we usually sell out the campsites, but the nice to see the harbor so full and the staff did a wonderful job. We
were really put to it with extra garbage duty and all the cleanup, but [snorts] uh we came through safe and sound. So, I just want to give a special recognition and thanks to our staff for all the hard work they did over the weekend. Of course, the Lions deserve a big hand, too, for hosting
this commute. Could it should have been more, but then last weekend, like I say, we sold out. So, overall, we were down 4% for July. Similar trends we reported in June and May. Year to date, we're only down 2%.
So, we're not too bad, but we're still chasing. The bad news is we discovered a big leak in one of the large commercial electric water heaters in Bath House 4. We're Yeah, we're getting by. We've got have a, as you can see, like it's a two s two
tank system. One of them still online. The storage system still making supplemental hot water in the afternoons. So, we're not suffering from too many complaints. And we're taking a step back. We got a price for two new electric units. It's a lot and they were
never really the right setup to begin with. They they didn't keep up. Electric takes a long time to recover and the cost per BTU is significant. So, we're putting our pens to work on a ondemand propane system, maybe an ondemand electric system. We're definitely
exploring the next better system for the next 20 years of that bath house. And the cost will be significant. We're saying like 20 to $50,000. But we have this in our capital budget and it's one of those got to fix it
expenses. So, no surprise. It happened right before the picnic and I was very pleased at how we managed it with signage and shutting down a few showers and switching over showerheads and educating the users to use other bathous and we're getting through it. Uh, and
then finally, this event this month coming up in a week or so is the pickup truck opera, the Tales of Hoffman. guys approved this last month and so we just want to give a advertisement for that free family events in Sweethearts Bluff on the Sledding Hill Northshore Music
Association's hosting and there's plenty of parking right next door at the Ballfield parking lot. That's all I have. Anybody have any questions or comments? >> Mr. Says you've taken a few showers
offline. Yeah. By like taking the curtains down, put up tape saying clothes. Sorry. >> Oh, you just you just shut them down. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> It isn't it isn't like you don't advertise availability or something. >> No, they're just not they're just no
curtains and a I think we're using like electrical or masking tape, you know. Sorry. Close. >> But like I said, it's it seems to be working. And we have three other bathous. That's that's a nice
>> bit of redundancy and they are we over the weekend we could tell people were you know shifting their habits and using other bathous. Okay, that concludes the park report. Um, I do have one thing to add in the minutes
with regard to the golf report that I I meant to ask Paul about and that is he had mentioned the idea of doing some some u tournaments and occurred to me that we might think about sponsoring some kind of event on the Friday
mornings of the big weekends in town, fisherman's picnic and maybe other or any other places that have big traffic. >> Sure. Um, it it's something that I can see people who come from the afternoon and evening
and have a morning free and they could just as easily be spending money on the golf course as wandering down the street. Some of them may not even get up until noon unless they have a reason to do so. So, >> uh, if you can put that in the minutes
in some form, that would be helpful. >> We're now on the new business. Um, I should we take the [snorts] guests? >> Of course. >> So, one of you can sit at the table or both. >> Sorry. I just left work early, so I'm
kind of sloppy here, but >> um, >> so please state your name for the record. >> My name's Cory Ryden. Um, I've kept my boat in town here for the last four years or so, I think. And it's usually always been around
3,500 bucks a year plus 700 or whatever stored. So over four grand a year. And now my bill is is 5700 bucks this year. And I don't have any anemity. I've lost all my anemities as far as water and
hookup for full slip rate is usually 3,500 bucks for seasonal slip. Um, but I was only able to stay in there this year for like a month before this other gentleman that's in that spot
makes me leave. Um, so I'm [clears throat] losing all that stuff and now my bill is 2,000 bucks more a year. And I just it just I it just irks me
to no end that how it can be more and I'm getting less. Um, I mean, we don't need a decision now, but it just it just seems >> [clears throat] >> um
like I'm getting the short end of the stick. I don't know what else to do. I mean, I I'm willing to do anything for the marina. I mean, I'll dive and pick up garbage and, you know, I mean, I'm I'm a good steward for that as far as I'm concerned. And I haven't had any issues as far as writeups for making noise. You
haven't had any complaints, have you? I'm sure I would have heard about him. >> Mr. Biden, have you talked with Dave about the issue? >> Yep. >> What did you learn? >> He said his hands are tied. So, I figured I would go to the I haven't talked to the city council yet, but
that's my next step, I guess. And just to try and there's it's frustrating. There's only four spots for bigger boats over there in the marina. And there's a smaller boat in there that could go in any other slip in the marina,
but he's grandfathered in or his father was. I don't know if his father's still alive or what, but it just it [clears throat] seems like I don't know. >> I didn't know we had grandfather boat slips. >> We don't. We have seasonal
and we have waiting list and Cory came to town 2022 2023 signed up for the waiting list May of 2023.
We were able to offer him a May, June, September, October slip because of the seasonal boat that's in that slip currently or at the time was in for July and August. All right.
So, we have a boat they was their slip for July and August. It was sitting empty in May, June, September, and October. So starting in 2023, I said yes to this idea that Corey can take this slip for May for May and June,
September and October. And that in July and August, he would go out to a moing buoy cuz we had one available. And that that May to October season then would be comprised of two months on the dock, two months on the buoy, and two
months [clears throat] on the dock. Mhm. >> And at the time I calculated that using our seasonal rate price per foot for a seasonal slip in the marina which was approximately $75 a foot.
It's up to I think 7775 now with the rate increases over the last few years. But as you know, our rates are run on a seasonal May to October price per foot and then as a monthly price per foot and a nightly price per foot. And so the
first summer Cory was in town, the moing ball wasn't comfortable. It wasn't, you know, it's like a rough harbor. So Cory lives on his boat. The moing ball wasn't comfortable. He took to the wall. he took to the east wall
which is a transient wall. It's priced nightly at 50 cents a foot, right? It has different rates and it's designed for transient boats in the It's a statutoily like administered wall through the city. We looked it up. It's
city property. The city has a statute about the wall. It sets the rate. It sets a threeight limit on the wall. There's a sign over there to that effect. overnight transient boats come to town. They pay a night dropbox at 50 cents a foot, right? It's the what we
see over there all all picnic. So that first season things didn't go as planned. Like Cory didn't take a buoy. He took to the wall. We allowed it. I allowed it. It was like no, you know, the wall is almost always empty. Yeah.
>> So I didn't enforce the three night limit. And I I created that idea of a seasonal raid for a special situation. >> And that ran like that for the last few seasons until last summer when things got a
little bit spicy, let's say, on the wall where Cory plugged into one of the light posts. That was not my idea. We did not provide the plug. That is not allowed. I was actually out of town when this was
happening. So that city hall took it over and asked you to unplug. I believe >> somebody did. Yeah. >> And then there were there was obviously some hardship over this. Cory ran a generator on the shore with a sign that
was like a little bit >> I mean there's outlets on the poles there. I don't know why. I mean >> anyway. >> Yeah. It didn't work out again last summer where we didn't respect the rules of the wall and the rate
wasn't right. And so this spring it was communicated clearly to Corey in May that we can't offer that seasonal rate. We don't have a seasonal slip. We have monthly rates on May and June and September and October and we have
monthly rates on moing balls. And when you calculate that out, it's more than the seasonal rate by a considerable amount. >> Even [clears throat] I would just think that if you're paying the max rate for your footage or whatever, and I'm getting less
I'm [clears throat] not getting any of the the benefits right now. I mean, if you drove down there right now, you'll see how much it I I don't love the wall and it's convenient for me when it can be. And if it ever gets anywhere close to being full, I'm the first one to get out of there or let somebody tie up or I
mean, I'll help a boater out 100%. Um, but and there's nothing said for locals or I mean there you think I just think it's steep.
I mean, we can't go you can't just charge me at a season rate and and pay the max instead. It's going to be two more thousand. I [snorts] don't uh >> I'm just I'm fit to be tied. I mean, I would I would go go somewhere else with
it, but I live in town and I work in town and and it's and it's difficult, but I mean, it's damn expensive. >> Yeah, it sounds like it. So, just to understand if I can understand this. So,
it sounds like you got kind of a deal those last years and this was the first year where >> kind of a deal. Well, I mean, I got the the seasonal rate >> at a dock with electricity and water,
>> but not what was actually the um the the rules. But it sounds like the rules were bent. >> Mhm. >> Until this year >> and then so now they're trying to um you know >> me for it follow make you follow the
rules >> and it's that much more expensive. Yeah. And so there aren't there's no >> um >> there's no seasonal slip available for the size of his boat. And even if there were >> You mean are there Did you say there's a
few that are available or there's none? >> None for the fall season. None in July and August >> for my size boat. But the boat that's in this spot for my size boat would go on any of the other slips. But you're deep in the waiting list too is another
important factor here is that even if we were to make special arrangements and start to move boats around >> there's there's >> other 30 people in front of Corey on the waiting list that should or would be bypassed for some special arrangement
>> that have big big >> mostly big because because we only have so many big slips. So, it's not even a factor of he should get this now because he's not even close to the top of the list. >> And that that reality was explained year
after year. >> So, it's not a matter of we're denying him a spot that >> is rightfully his. There's it's not even close to that. I' like I've honestly made it. >> Do we need more spots? >> Bigger. >> I mean, or even even poles out like
where I bought my boat in Detroit. They got this pilings out and then they back the boats in between them like they do in Florida or whatever, you know? I mean, >> well, we So, we stay in the present. We're not going to have any of these services in the near future. That's just the reality of the situation. The the
the question on the table is do we make special arrangements, you know, with a special rate for a special guy? And and honestly, like yes, we were bending the rules these last few years because it was convenient for the
revenue, right? Because the we've got a 42 ft boat that was $3,500. That's a good amount of money for us to make. The the 3-day limit on the wall became an issue with transient boats and just the general public because the sign is down
there and it says 3-day limit. I typically field concerned citizens questions of like why is this boat here all summer? Then there was a flare up a couple weeks ago when the boat was in the public access the former public access dock because of windy conditions.
When the west wind blows, the wall gets bumpy. >> Oh, it's getting ripped apart right now. So Corey moved his boat over to the old public access dock a few weeks ago and pointed into the wind >> and the local Facebook page was full of comments and some good and some bad and
I had six people that week asking me why I'm not over there kicking them off. And so this this whole thing has been building coming to a head. So I'm glad we could sell this tonight or you know at least I would hope to make some progress on this. But there's but there's several, you know, factors like
yes, are we willing to wave the 3-day limit that's already been established? Like we kind of risk like displacing you from the wall if we're going to follow all the rules. >> I mean, I I just I would think pay the most expensive slip there or whatever.
And I would think you'd be able to I don't know. That's just my own reasoning. I just I uh [sighs] when you move to lower >> I think the policy question that he presents to us is he's a major source of
revenue for the marina. >> He's a source of revenue. >> The the way the various things add up come up to be more expensive than a than a slip, but he's here all season. Um
setting aside where he's permitted to park. You know, if if for example, he parks in a space in May in May and June and in September and October and is at a boy the whole time.
um that that's a it's a seasonal decision on his part to be here and we should decide if there's any kind of break we want to give him from being here the whole season and moving around within the rules
and whether he wants to do that or not. That's the only way I see that we could be even at all helpful to him. And then like I I mean like I told Dave, I mean I'm willing to give him 4,000 now while this goes through the city council
or gets discussed or whatever, you know, if you think I'm going to skip out or anything, but I mean I'm not I'll pay I I just I know you never get money back if I pay the whole thing right now and it goes through the >> I would think you would want to pay at least as much as the right as for a
whole slip. >> Correct. That's what I'm talking about. And 4,000 is more Right. Now, I'm not saying that would be the final number. >> Right. Right. No, no, I understand. But I just figured I'd give him four grand now because my my winter storage is 700.
That's on top of the 3500 or whatever. >> Yeah. So, I want more >> for the mid to October season at 42 ft. It's 3265. >> Probably tax on there or whatever >> plus 700 for the winter. >> Winner is like not quite that much. I
think it was about 550. >> 540 or Yeah. But I'm just kind of rounding the numbers up. But and I understand Dave's in the middle of this and >> so that's the rate. >> You are the >> rate keepers. So it's entirely your
decision on the rate >> and there are balls available. >> There is a ball. >> So there is dockage. It's a question of how how accessible the dockage is, right? Whether it's shore access slip or and then versus [clears throat] size of boat.
>> There is no dockage in July and August in the marina. >> But there's ball balls in there. I mean >> there is >> you could dock there but you'd have to fry back and forth. >> Dingy. Yeah. >> Right. And they're hard to get to by myself or whatever, you know, when I'm when it's windy or
>> Yeah. I' I've done that and it's it's un it takes some practice. >> It's unwieldy. Yeah. Yeah, I mean the fact of the matter is is we just don't have a May or October 40ft slip. If and when we do,
we will work with the waiting list on placing it. And so it so the situation is not going to solve itself that way. But the but take this stock for May and June and then take the wall for July and August and then come back to this stock for September and October. Are we
willing to treat that as a Mayo October seasonal rate is the question I have >> and the and the policy question there is do people get displaced who would otherwise be using the wall and am I hearing correctly not
>> no that's not the >> okay >> so it's more a matter of whether or not we have a decision that says we're making a special arrangement for him because the wall isn't that busy Okay. And then the question is how much
do we charge for being so special? >> Well, I mean, I'll pay the the seasonal footage rate. I would be happy with her. That's what I would hope for. You know, >> that's how I treated this in the past. But after last year's difficulty with
city hall, it was clear to me this winter and spring from the administrator that we were making no special arrangements. Oh, Roth said no special arrangements. >> That's why things change. >> That's why I wanted to go to the city
council meeting, too, and and and run it by them cuz I don't know Roth or what I did to him or or why he dislikes me. But >> he's >> So, whose decision is it actually to >> But I mean, some rules are meant to be changed or or or
I don't know. It just >> I mean is it our do we have the power to wave the fees that we've agreed to charge or
>> you have the power to set the rate. So the rates are set on >> now it's the power to make an exception to the set rate. >> As a practical matter we'd be setting a new category for an odd an odd set of facts that involves the whole season.
Dave, are there other exceptions of record? >> No. >> Am I allowed to ask the question? Just >> that here. Sure. >> Um, how many people are here almost 100% of the time for the entire season? Do
you know either on the wall in in on a moing ball or in the dock? 100% of the time. always here with give [clears throat] or take a week because that's kind of the situation that Corey is in. He's he's always here. So, it's
it's literally seasonal. Not and I know seasonal means things, you know, a lot of different things for different people. It might mean a weekend a month. It might mean a week here and there, but we we both live on the boat. We are always here. So, it's I don't know if
there's a separate category that could go into are are you literally here 85% of the time, >> which if people are paying they're paying for it, >> it doesn't really matter. >> True. But in some ways, it's almost >> kind of nice if they're not here and not
for people that want the space, >> right? >> Yeah. pretty typical marina whatever >> typical marinas full of boats with absentee owners. So it's it's not uncommon for our boat owners to be in 50%.
>> So you got 30 boats on the waiting list my size. >> Uh you know I haven't done an exact count but you know >> is it audited? >> Happy to share the list. I do update it annually. I call down and make sure people are interested. I just know these
like people from 2013 is are the oldest names. Cory's from 2023. So I in that 10 years we've got easily 30 people >> and they're still waiting. >> Mhm. >> Wow. >> The last slip turnover we had was about 3 years ago. The fella had waited 11
years. We only have 17 seasonal slips. Does any does any do you know of any marinas like where they have an occupancy rule, you know, like if you're going to I mean cuz
I mean they're paying for it. So then but >> I do believe Silver Bay has >> openings >> openings. >> But then they got the red dust. I I kept it down there one winter and >> from the mine >> from the mine. It took me years to wash out that red.
>> Wow. And it's not it's >> and we have a seasonal buoy, >> but I know it's rough out there. >> Um, >> yeah. I just >> So, it's it's like a decision that the voter makes
>> and you know, the option to the to the average person on the waiting list is to wait. But Corey needed to get in in 2023 and we had an empty slip in May >> and it's sort of all snowballed since then.
>> Well, it appears as if we've both tried to accommodate each other. We'll see whether any more accommodation is called for get back to you before you council. I suspect when's the city council meeting we're going to think about it at all. >> Tomorrow we we wait going to the council
till we finish talking. >> What time? tomorrow. >> Uh 6:30. >> 6:30. >> Not tomorrow. Sorry. Wednesday. >> Wednesday. >> Wait, tomorrow? >> Tomorrow's Wednesday. Yeah, >> tomorrow. >> Okay. And but getting back to the Would you like me to give you 4,000 now?
>> No. >> Okay. >> I'm >> Yeah, I won't skip out on you. I promise. But I will >> We'll happily take your 4,000 and then come [laughter] back to you as to what our long-term decision is. >> Okay. Thank you for listening to me. >> Yeah.
>> See you guys. Thank you. >> Might even make up the 2%. >> There's no history of exceptions, Dave. Nobody's ever arranged something, things have either worked out or not or
weight listed. >> One one of the things I have to congratulate Dave on is figuring out a way to accommodate him within the system that we've had so far. Um, and the whole point about rules is that sometimes exceptions are made or
sometimes new rules are made if they make sense. And that's the question is whether there's a sensible way to do to do anything different than what we're doing now. Uh, I don't have any great wisdom on the question. I like his
uh big check. It doesn't hurt us. Uh he seems to be a reasonably accommodating person if he's willing to swim out to the boy or whatever he has. He's not. >> He's not. >> No, >> you say he's not. >> No, he stays on the wall.
>> But what if the wall gets full >> and rarely or it it's never been an issue. It's when the wall gets bumpy with waves that becomes an issue. And this latest technique of taking to the public access, I should say previous public access because that officially is
no longer >> Yeah, I saw that down there too and I wondered at terrible optics. There's a sign right there that talks about the three night limit on the wall. >> Yeah. And you know
they're living on the boat so that it's Yeah. Um >> so he had a workaround that isn't working now, >> right? It it worked until it >> didn't until he attracted too much attention to himself
>> and and he ran a generator on shore with a snarky sign stabbing city hall about, you know, sorry about the noise, but city hall won't let me plug in. >> But there's not a plug. >> No, is it?
>> And yet he he plugged into he helped himself to a plug on a lamp post that wasn't shouldn't have been used. >> Well, and I wonder, you know, it's always like, well, if we let you do it, then somebody else is going to come along. And if any of those people on the
wait list >> that maybe they want to deal like that >> to have a slip for four months and then >> be on the wall and then we fill up the wall and it's
and it Yeah. they're not paying the the actual rate. So yeah, I hope there's somewhere we can at least meet in the middle or gradual increase or something. I don't know. >> You know, the more I think about this,
he was able by your creativity to sort of jump. >> Exactly. >> I think he should just be happy to pay whatever we charge him. >> Yeah. Kind of right. It's the rule. more I think about it,
>> he is in a monthly rate scenario at the very basic, you know, but we don't have a monthly rate on the wall, right? We have 50 cents a foot per night.
I, you know, times that across 30 nights, I can create a monthly rate. That's how his bill got so high. I certainly appreciate the bumpy wall. I mean, up against >> Well, and he has to understand that if
there are others there, he's got to get off the wall, right? That would be part of any arrangement we have with him. >> If he's beyond three nights, then he has to go somewhere else. And we don't care where it is, but it could be out to the bumper or to the >> to the buoy. Yeah.
>> Boy, for relatively few times. And hopefully the weather's not too bad. >> I You're looking at me curiously. >> No, I This is a real problem. >> A shortage of access for a real
property and there's a waiting list and there is no history of precedent except >> Well, and if we get anybody else who asks then the whole thing gets thrown up in the air, right? If anybody else wanted to deal with a complex thing.
>> Um, >> are riders local? >> I recognize the last name. >> Yeah. >> Uh, are are any of these other people who are on the waiting list local? >> Several. Mhm. >> Okay. >> It's it's a mix, but there's both local
and out of towners. >> But you don't give locals preference, Dave. >> We do not. >> Same with the campground. It's just >> correct. So the question was who was likely to be willing to live with the inconvenience of bouncing around.
Locals are more likely to do that than people who are coming in from somewhere else. I suspect. >> Yeah. I've only slept on the boat in the harbor on the wall a few times. But it does take a lot more time to do anything. >> Yeah.
>> And then you always risk falling in the water on your way to your to your tent, you know. Well, I don't because >> well >> I don't >> we have a family history boats anymore. >> We have a very expensive family history of falling in the water on the way to the tender. So I'm sensitive to this.
>> Yeah. >> So I would really and I you know at this point >> it appears that we're not going to take any action from the discussion we've had. Is that right? >> Well, but could you come to consensus on a sort of position of no exceptions is kind of what I'm hearing. I I think
given how we've already left over the fence to to accommodate him in the way we have you've done it within the policies. >> I'm comfortable with that. It's expensive and
>> owning a boat and if you want to live on it and >> in the Grand Marray $50, $200. >> Mhm. >> I don't know. That's what it costs. So,
I guess I I support that. And, you know, if he wants to go complain to city council about our decision, then do it. >> You don't need a motion to sustain
current policy. >> I don't think a motion's required. I think just take no action. and continue as we have >> sympathetic to all sides and encourage reconciliation. >> Sure. >> Well said.
>> Thank you. >> Okay. So now the next question is the budget. Um I'm assuming that if we're going to have any useful input on the budget, we need to do it today. We can't wait a month.
>> No, actually this is a long process. So, I'll just give you a brief summary of the budget season, the budget cycle. This is [clears throat] not going to be finished till December, right? So, the city council. >> So, if we could have a a more major
piece of the agenda devoted to this next month, >> right? And so, we'll look at this night as just a draft. Anything really stand out to you in the budget, but as we finalize our numbers over the next few months, we'll have several opportunities to revisit the budget.
particularly in November at the November meeting, we'll have our May to October season in the bank and so our revenue numbers will be a lot more, >> you know, reliable. >> Corki is happy that we we're not going to spend too much time on this because he's poking me like I'm supposed to take
him out. >> I'm going to resist it for a while yet. >> So, yeah, for sure. Tonight, just treat this as a first look, draft, budget. anything stand out as exceptional for you, we'll certainly look into further. My only points would to make our modest
revenue gains because of the cool off on our [cough and clears throat] growth trend over even the last couple years. You've seen how we've just kind of plateaued on explosive growth which we saw back in the co era of like 2020 21
because camping was so popular. we had these like nearly doubledigit [cough] percentage increases on revenue. Um, but now that we've sort of are chasing this year, [cough] my total revenue for next year is only up 1.6%
over this year's projection. That's very conservative. >> Do we want to think about [clears throat and cough] doing some additional or new kind of marketing uh now that we have some door help? Yeah, we're always thinking about marketing for sure.
>> The uh Have we ever told the world that we're the world's most wonderful lake shore? You know, we keep getting these things on the internet. >> Yeah. All the time. >> Yeah, >> we're on that. But but the but the macro here is like a cooling off revenue
curve. We'll see how we finish this year. If it's flat, you know, we're going to be coming in really close to our projected number, which in the past, we've always overperformed that, right? We've always overshot revenue by could be six figures on those really big
years. >> All that money is good for the general fund. And so, it's it just kind of floats. Now, on the expense side, >> you would note a pretty good reduction in expenses actually. Well, not pretty good, but a point4%. So, I would say
something you don't often see on an expense sheet on a year-over-year look is a small reduction. As as we know, wages will go up. Certain operating expenses will go up, but let me say the real savior here is a change of credit
card processors to to a much more competitive rate. And so, I mean, just if you want to look at a crazy number, it's pro it's bank fees. So on the expense sheet number one under campground under recreation
uh right here at the bottom >> what number are you on? >> Oh yeah. >> Um >> page one of the expenditures bank charges down here. >> Yeah. Second from the last line on page oneendures. [clears throat]
>> Yeah. This is like the pass through credit card processing fee that last year we got fleeced. You see that $220,000 amount? >> That was almost criminal. We changed processors. This year we're
going to save $150,000. >> Oh my gosh. >> My goodness. >> Yeah. >> Thank you for paying attention. >> Well, it was a little bit too late, but you're welcome. >> [clears throat] >> So that is the is kind of the how we're
saving a little on expenses. As you see like wages, benefits, all that. City hall plugs that in for me. I have very little control over those numbers. We kind of pick it up starting around the middle of the sheet on operating supplies, you know, office supplies. You can see some of those. That's all the
what it takes to run the campground. There's three there's four different components to our parks budget. There's the recreation, which is the campground. There's the golf course. I Oh gosh, there's a tennis courts, but that's just kind of a lingering line
item. Every so often, we contribute to a county tennis agreement. You can see that hasn't been active lately. Uh there's the boat harbor and then city parks. So, yeah, not not a bad budget sheet with a
projected net um what what am I saying? Positive revenue of approximately half a million dollars. >> Dave, what was the change in bank charges? >> A different processing group changing credit card processors.
>> Not not the card charges themselves. >> No, just changing the company that processes them. processes. >> We've been with this trusted [clears throat] company for years. >> Yeah. >> And they must have thought they could or well they they pulled a fast one on us
and just started charging ridiculous fees. >> So we so we dropped them last >> I always thought it was fixed like >> 2.9%. Yeah. That's our new contract. 2.9%. >> And it was higher before. >> Crazy high.
Like 10%. do. >> Are there any other headlines you want to give us for today? And we'll put it on the agenda for next month under old business, I suppose. Huh? >> No, we're getting through it. We're getting through the busy season. We're
getting through the busy season, I think, is the headline. Got great staff, good guests, and decent air. >> I noticed that the we walk our dog in uh in the trail around >> Oh, Sweet Hearts Bluff. >> Sweet Hearts Bluff. The lower one, not
the upper one. >> And there's been a lot of traffic there lately. We've had um almost traffic jams. >> Hasn't been through in the past. >> Yeah. Well, >> it was so busy this weekend. I suppose that was part of the deal. >> Of course. Yeah. Enjoy it while it
lasts. A couple months it'll be empty again. There was one family of people ranging in size from about age 10 to 40 who were headed up the the hill. >> Oh yeah. >> To take the big toe. I one time I walked
that walked by that way and I ran into what looked like a place where I had to climb. >> Yeah. Backed away and decided to get better shoes. >> Yeah. The overlook trail we rate intermediate because it does have a few little scrambles up up near the top.
Are you getting cancellations? Um like are people are are you getting a sense people are still kind of nervous about coming up here >> less and less as the weeks have passed since the smoke event? Yes. For that immediate few days after there was like
I'm coming late August. I'm cancelling. >> Yeah. >> There's there's some of that activity a few weeks ago >> I think. >> But not so much now. >> Not so much. not merely like I think all that's over >> and I'm and I'm hopeful that because you
know that was a month out it's going to be booked >> would it would it make sense to contact the people who who cancelled for August who might want to come up now things are better >> they'll figure it out [laughter] >> it's it's really news down in the Twin Cities >> it was it was news
>> you well still is and we end up dialoguing with folks who were going to come and might come and >> I tell them you should really come for sure, but give me a call first. I mean, it's it's still >> Yeah. [clears throat] >> Yeah. And I think it's going to be that
way as the fires are still >> Yeah. >> burning >> and then September is a burn month. I mean, July is not. >> Yeah. >> Well, is there I believe we're finished with this item for this week. Is there
any old business to be brought up here? not being so I would declare the meeting adjourned unless somebody would heartburn about that.